In today's episode of the As Told by Nomads Podcast, join Erica Austin and me as we talk about youth empowerment, education, and the ECRA educational program that gears youths to effectively transition to adulthood and entrepreneurship. Erica believes the education system in the U.S. is fragmented. This results in so many communities, despite having prestigious agencies, still fall short in providing quality education that's accessible to the majority. For her, it takes a village of stakeholders to guide the youth in recognizing and reaching their potential. Tune into this discussion on how we can tailor solutions for the development of youth's education in this episode!What does it mean to believe in the youth? When Erica was young, she took inspiration from the protagonist of the movie, Harriet the Spy. This inspiration wasn't the typical type, the type that would just eventually fade off. Because of Harriet, writing interest her. Erica took this spark and decided to tell her parents that she wanted to write a book. Fortunately, because her parents were supportive, Erica was given the tools she needed to begin. Because she grew up with a spiritual foundation, she decided to write a book sharing her faith with other children. Erica's first book was entitled, What Every Child Should Know About Prayer: From a Child's Point of View. With the help of her parents, Erica became an author at the very young age of nine. From there, she became a child prodigy in her hometown for being one of the very few child authors in the 90s. As her book gained more attention and recognition, Erica was in different speaking engagements and book signings. Because of her book, she fell into public speaking at a young age and became passionate about youth empowerment, a spark that continues to blaze up until now.Outline of the episode:[03:03] What did inspire Erica to publish her first book at the age of nine?[06:14] Erica Austin – on the implications of being a child author in the 90s[08:15] Youth empowerment and the relevance of education[11:29] How did the ECRA perform during the pandemic?[13:50] We can leverage what we already have access to…[17:01] Help them transform during their formative years![18:55] What can you expect from the ECRA Youth Entrepreneurship Academy 4-Week Educational Program?[20:34] This is a movement![21:28] The ECRA Educational Program Pilot[22:52] Erica Austin – on the importance of tailoring solutions to the perspective of those who it servesResources:Website: https://ericaaustin.com/ECRA: https://ecragroup.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EricaforYouthTwitter: https://twitter.com/ericaforyouthInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mseaustin/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-austin-230a7967/Connect with Tayo Rockson and the As Told By Nomads Podcast on:Personal Website: https://tayorockson.comUYD Management: https://uydmanagement.com/UYD Collective: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.